Sandless Shore
by Raz-Neko-Chan
Summary: What do you do when your life is like an hourglass? Time is running out and only a few grains of sand remain. There's only one way to turn back the clock, and it lies hidden, buried somewhere deep beneath all the sand you've already lost...
1. Prologue

It was a warm, calm day. The only clouds in the sky were merely wisps of white against the clear, blue sky. Sleek fish darted in and out of hiding places in an elaborate tango. Waves hugged the shore, lazily drifting in and out, giving the afternoon a steady, unchanging rhythm. Seagulls skimmed the surface of the ocean, coasting idly on warm air. A cool breeze caressed the beach, barely strong enough to stir any sand or disturb any water.

All was peaceful.

From her position in the water, the girl had no trouble gazing at the shore. She turned lazily in the water, enjoying the warmth surrounding her. The sun would set soon and she was waiting for him to arrive. The thought of seeing him again made small giggles bubble from her. Maybe she would sing to him, it might be more fun than just watching him wander the shore. She swam in leisurely circles, humming a dreamy tune, waiting for the sun to dip into the ocean.

After some waiting, the sun began to lower, its edge sinking into the indigo water below. Gilded ribbons of light striped the ocean, creating an alternating pattern of gold and blue. The sky was a canvas of rosy pinks, milky blues, and pastel purples; blazing reds, fiery oranges and livid golds. The girl eyed the shore expectantly. Surely he would come soon; he always came right after the sun would start to set. Where was he?

The sound of splashing water pulled the girl from her thoughts. Turning towards the sound, she sank down into the water. A smile danced on her lips. She found him standing on his favorite rock a few yards from the shore, staring out at the ocean. Silently, she swam towards him, being careful to keep her distance; she didn't need him spotting her early.

Without warning, the wind picked up and the water began to churn, throwing dangerous waves onto the shore. The girl struggled to keep her eyes on the boy; water was constantly crashing into her, blocking her view.

A huge wave crashed over the rock, sweeping him under water. The girl let out a startled cry, dashing forward. She ducked under the water and swam towards him, wishing she hadn't stayed so far from the rock. He was being pulled deeper underwater, getting swallowed by the dark abyss. She wouldn't reach him in time. He was sinking out of sight, getting smaller with every second.

She reached towards him, wishing she could swim faster, wishing she were just a little bit closer. Fighting back tears, which would probably be no use under water, she pushed harder, refusing to lose sight of the figure below her.

Cryptic thoughts began to plague her mind. Even if she was able to get him out of the water, would he live? She was sure he'd already inhaled a great deal of water; surely his lungs were full by now. If it was already too late, what was the point of swimming after him? But what if it wasn't too late, then she could save him, right? What if she dragged him back onto the shore and the only way to save him would be to…

What if it came that? Would she save him if it meant leaving behind life as she knew it? What would her sisters think? Would saving him be worth giving up everything? Maybe she should just let him drown, it would end all the snide comments she received from the others; it would obliterate any temptation to leave her peaceful life behind. It would be so easy to…

_NO!_ _No way, _she fiercely scolded herself. _Even if it comes to that, there's no way I'm going to let him die. I won't let Warren die!_


	2. Return

"_You're as_ _sharp as a knife and you fit like a glove,  
That is no way to life, that is no way to love.  
Full of fear in your skin and the weakness of giving in._

_You're stabbed in the back, but you feel no pain,  
Push the heaviest doors that you can't open,  
Yeah they've tied me up and my body lies still again."_

Drumming her fingers on the armrest of her chair, Razaliardyna Teru tried her best to retain a calm demeanor. Excitement trickled through her veins, making her fingers drum faster, falling out rhythm with the song she was listening to. Sighing, she turned off her iPod, pulled her headphones from her ears and gazed out the small window to her right.

The flight from Moscow to New York had been ridiculously long and bland. She had been forced to sit next to an awkward young man who had kept trying to strike up a conversation. Each attempt had ended in embarrassed muttering and self-conscious hand gestures. She had thought it was somewhat cute, but he wasn't exactly her Romeo.

No, her real Romeo was waiting at the end of this flight, buried deep in the woods of Connecticut, lost in a catatonic stupor.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, threatening to spread into a full blown grin. She hadn't seen Warren in almost seven months, arguably the longest amount of time she'd been from him since his…incident at Fablehaven. She bit her bottom lip, feeling like a bubbly high school girl, her smile widening as the pilot announced their descent.

By the time the plane landed, she was practically coming out of her own skin. Why did people have to be so _slow? _She tapped her foot impatiently as people began to file out of the plane one by one, like dull toy soldiers. As the last passenger left the plane, she leapt from her seat, threw her bag over her shoulder and practically sprinted down the aisle of the plane.

Her luggage wasn't hard to find, she only had one suitcase and the small carry-on bag that was slung over her shoulder. All her gear; knives, swords, crossbows, had been sent to the next preserve she would be visiting by other means. She briefly wondered why she hadn't sent her clothes and other items along with them; she would only be able to visit Fablehaven briefly before being rushed off to Brazil to deal with a Society of the Evening Star related issue. Then she realized that a lone woman traveling from Moscow to Connecticut with nothing but a small tote bag would look somewhat suspicious.

Wrenching her suitcase free from the crowd of luggage, she scanned the airport. With any luck the car she had rented prior to boarding her flight would be ready to go. With a slight bounce in her step, she headed for the rental area near the front of the airport.

* * *

The drive to Fablehaven was longer than Razaliardyna remembered it being, or maybe it was just her nerves. Her nerves? She was nervous about going to see someone lost in a catatonic stupor? That was certainly new.

After what seemed like weeks of driving, she pulled up to the Fablehaven gate, which swung open robotically. She smiled as she pulled onto the preserve. She was glad that Stan had insisted on putting her name in the Register, if he hadn't done so, she would still be waiting outside the gate, trying to get through the unreliable phone lines to tell them she had arrived. Now that she was a welcome guest, she could stop by whenever she wanted. Her schedule with the Knights of Dawn wasn't exactly planned and she never knew when she would get a moment to breathe and run to Fablehaven, so the simple convenience was welcome.

She pulled up to the house a bit faster than she would have under other circumstances. The closer she got to her destination the more restless she got. Killing the engine, she forced herself to calm down. She had waited seven months; a couple more minutes wouldn't kill her… or would it?

She threw the car door open, slammed it shut and charged the front door. The second it was in reach she banged her knuckles against it, hoping severely that Lena would hear her. Shifting her weight anxiously from foot to foot, she wondered what was taking so long. Surely Lena had heard her knock, where was she? Should she try again? Just as she was about to try knocking a second time, the door swung open, revealing not Lena, not Dale or Ruth, not even Stan, but an eleven year old boy.

Taken slightly aback, she had no idea what to make of the mischievous eyed kid before her.

"Who are you?" he asked, leaning against the frame.

"I could ask you the same question." She retorted, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"Yeah but I asked you first."

"Yeah, but I'm older."

The boy looked like he was ready to make a witty comeback when Dale appeared behind him, opening the door fully. "This is a friend of the family Seth." The boy looked over his shoulder at Dale.

"I thought you guys _never _had any visitors. I mean, you live in the middle of nowhere!"

"Miss Teru is…um…"

The way Dale was floundering for words made the girl wonder if Seth knew anything about the preserce. "I help out with some stuff on the property when I can find some time away from my real job." She said, noting the grateful look Dale gave her. She eyed Seth, "Can I come in? Or do you want me to stand out here till dawn?"

"What kind of stuff?" He backed out of the doorway, allowing her entry to the house. As she passed the threshold she glanced at Dale, who subtly shook his head.

So the kid didn't know about Fablehaven, she wasn't surprised. "Oh, you know, I study the butterflies and check on some of the wildlife in the woods. It's pretty interesting."

She heard Seth mutter something like "About as interesting as watching ice melt."

"Shouldn't you be up in the attic? Your grandfather will be furious if he finds you out of your room." There was a nervous edge in Dale's voice and he glanced in the direction of the backyard.

The boy shrugged, "I heard someone knock and no one came to answer the door, I figured that whoever it was would want to come in. It's not like I was out in the garden or anything."

"You could hear me knock from the attic?"

"Yeah, it sounded like you were trying to break down the door or something." He began trudging up the stairs, "You won't tell grandpa, will you Dale? I mean it's not like I really did anything wrong, I only came down to see who was at the door."

"Not if you get up there within the next 5 seconds and don't come back down until your punishment is up." Dale began counting down from five. With wide eyes, Seth bolted up the rest of the steps faster than she had expected him to. Once he was out of sight, Dale shook his head. "I knew I should have locked the door."

She laughed at Dale's threatening comment and began sauntering to the backyard. "Give the kid a break; I'd still be standing out there if not for him. I didn't know Stan had relatives over, where's Lena?"

"You really should call or something to let us know you're coming."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at Dale. "Sorry, I finished up early in Moscow and didn't have time to call, what with the Society getting more active…" her words trailed off and she bit her lip. Any activity from the Society was bad news, and they were getting pretty active.

"Raz! So good to see you again!" Lena came into the room from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "I wasn't expecting you; otherwise I would have made some hot chocolate."

"Hi Lena, it's good to see you too." Raz offered the former naiad a warm smile and friendly embrace. "A cup of your hot chocolate would be lovely, but I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time, I have to head off again soon."

"Oh of course, of course, you'll be wanting to see Warren more than you'll want to catch up with me; I suppose there's always next time."

"Now Lena, don't be like that." The younger girl teased, "You know I'd love to catch up with you! It's just…"

"I understand. Now come along, I've already wasted enough of your time, you better be heading to the cabin."

"Thanks Lena." The two women headed back into the kitchen, followed by Dale. Raz walked into the backyard, barely containing her excitement as she began the hike to the cabin where Warren waited.

* * *

Seth considered ditching the attic and taking a small detour into the garden, but shook off the idea. He had already gotten into enough trouble, confinement in the attic for one day was bad enough; he couldn't imagine how boring it would be for the rest of his stay.

He reached the attic door and threw it open. He wasn't surprised to find Kendra standing near the doorway, her arms folded.

"Are you crazy?"

"I'm back aren't I?"

"What if Grandpa had caught you?"

"He _didn't, _so what's the big idea?"

"You're so stupid."

"Yeah, yeah."

Seth pushed his way into the playroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Kendra walked back to the small alcove to finish her paint-by-numbers picture of the pond. Seth sat next to the rocking horse.

"So who was at the door?" Kendra tried to sound casual, but curiosity was making her edgy. Seth wasn't fooled.

"A big huge lumber jack with an ax. He was a lunatic, tried to kill me, but I held him off with the coat rack until Dale got there."

Kendra nearly dropped her paintbrush in exasperation. "Honestly Seth, you expect me to believe that?"

"Yup."

"Try again."

"Okay fine you got me; it was this super pretty girl."

"Seth!"

"This time I'm serious! She was really, really pretty and had long gold hair."

Kendra gave Seth a skeptical look from the corner of her eye. Was he really being serious? "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!" He was getting more animated now, like when he had told Kendra about the witch. "And get this; she had purple eyes!"

"They must've been contacts."

Seth shook his head, "I think they were natural."

"Yeah right, did you get close enough to see?"

"Well…no…but they _looked _naturally purple…"

"Looks can be deceiving."

Seth was pouting now; he laced his fingers behind his head and thunked to the ground. He was now eye to eye with the underside of the rocking horse. He nearly smirked. "Did you ever notice the keyhole on the belly of the unicorn?"

"Keyhole?"

* * *

**Yaaaay I finally started a fanfiction 8D if anyone was wondering, the song Raz is listening to is "_Salt Skin_" by Ellie Goulding, you should check out her music- it's amazing. Also, Razaliardyna is pronounced ra-ZAH_-_lee-uh-ar-din-uh, just incase you were staring at the screen like "what the....?" I hope to be putting chapter 2 up soon, I'm ridiculously busy with school and have like...no time to write, but it should be up somtime before uh...June...I hope xDD**


	3. New Song

Raz hesitated in front of the cabin door, fiddling with the edge of her shirt. She was suddenly very shy. Why? It seemed stupid to be nervous about seeing someone who was in a constant daze. Warren couldn't even talk, and she highly doubted he could fully understand her when she spoke to him. It had just been so _long, _the thought of seeing him again made her anxious.

She shook her head, clearing away her shyness. _I can do this, it's no big deal. _

With excitement replacing her nervousness, she pushed open the door and entered the cabin quietly. It was just as she remembered it; six chairs, one long table, fireplace, firewood, loft, Warren's bed and the piano. Glancing at the pegs on the wall, she smirked. So the sombrero was still there. Her gaze fell on Warren, who was curled up under the covers of his bed, staring in her direction blankly. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she walked over to the bed.

"Hey Warren." She sat by him on the covers and brushed some hair from his forehead. Her small smile turned gentle and warm. The back of her hand lingered on his cheek as she drank in his face. Even with white skin and silver hair, he was still as handsome as she remembered him being the first time she had laid eyes on him. "I wrote a new song while I was in Moscow, do you want to hear it?" He showed no sign that he had heard her but her smile brightened and she nodded. "Of course you do." She pulled the covers back and helped him into a sitting position, patiently guiding him until he sat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"The preserve in Moscow, Teeming Valley, was actually pretty peaceful after my team took down the troll that had been terrorizing the caretakers. Their little daughter, Galina, reminded me of you. She had a shy little smile and blonde hair like silver." She sat on the piano bench and looked expectantly at Warren. "I wrote this one for her," she shifted her gaze shyly, "and you." Sighing, she shook her head. "I guess I should stop talking and just play the song, huh?"

With that, Raz's gaze rested on the worn piano keys. How many times had she sat in that same position? How long had it been since the last time she'd been able to play on her favorite piano? She spread her fingers over the keys, relishing the feel of their cool, smooth surfaces. She'd missed this piano. With a smile on her lips, she closed her eyes and began to play.

* * *

"Do you hear that?"

Kendra looked up from her painting; she had been so busy thinking about the strange message in the _Journal of Secrets _and so wrapped up in painting within the lines that she almost hadn't heard Seth's question.

"Hear what?"

"That music."

"What music?"

"_The music". _Seth was standing by the window, which he had apparently thrown open, leaning towards the woods. "How can you _not _hear it? It's so loud; I think it's coming from the woods."

"Seth, aren't you getting tired of pulling pranks?" Kendra returned to her painting, dipping the small brush in the silvery blue meant for the water.

"Why do you always think that I'm pulling a prank when I have something interesting to say?"

"Because you usually are." She didn't look up from her painting, it was almost finished and she really wanted to see what it would look like once all the lines had been filled in.

"Fine suit yourself; I just thought you might like to hear the magical music coming from the woods. Oh cool! The butterflies look like they're dancing!"

"Seth!"

"I'm being totally serious! Come check it out!"

Rolling her eyes, Kendra gave in. It would only take about three seconds to walk over to the window, peek out, confirm Seth was joking around and return to the easel. She put the brush down and stood, pulling her hair out of her face. "You better not be lying."

"I'm _not."_

Seth sounded so sure, there was no way he could be lying; he wasn't that good of an actor. Kendra walked over to the window, sincerely hoping that there would be something interesting outside of it. Standing next to Seth, she placed both her hands on the windowsill and leaned out a bit, peering into the garden.

"Whoa…"

Beneath her, an exotic array of butterflies flitted about the garden in what seemed to be an eccentric dance. Ruby red dragonflies tangoed with royal purple and sapphire blue butterflies. Hummingbirds and bumblebees spiraled through the sky, creating meandering spirals. Gilded wings led the parade as golden butterflies weaved in and out of the other acrobats. "You were serious."

"Told you so." Kendra didn't have to look at Seth to know that he was smirking. "Can you hear the music now?"

Kendra closed her eyes. A soft breeze blew through the window, bringing with it a piano piece full of cascading notes. The melody was a complex pattern of high notes, weaving in and out of each other like the butterflies below. The pianist's bottom hand was a simple harmony to the top; it kept a steady rhythm, constant and unwavering. Whoever was playing was obviously skilled, Kendra knew that if she were to try and learn this song it would take her months, maybe a year.

"It's so pretty. Do you think it's what's making the butterflies dance?"

"Yeah, probably. What else would be causing it?" Seth placed both hands on the windowsill, gave a little hop and swung his legs out towards the garden.

"What are you doing?" Kendra demanded, her voice high with terror.

"Relax, will ya?" Instead of jumping down three stories to the ground below like she thought he would, Seth sat down on the windowsill, swinging his legs. "I'm not stupid enough to jump out the window."

"Geez, give me a heart attack."

"It's what I do best."

* * *

Fingers flying over the keys, eyes closed, Raz was lost in her song. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this free. There were no boundaries, no time limits. Only music. She couldn't help but smile. The piano beneath her fingers was so familiar that it seemed to be a part of her; an extension of her soul rather than a combination of wood, strings and ivory put together by a caretaker nearly one hundred years ago. The song seemed to pour from her on its own accord; she didn't have to think about what she was doing, the notes just came from her, like breathing.

"You plan on pulling the other naiads out of the pond?"

Her fingers froze. She had been so lost in playing that she hadn't heard Stan enter the cabin. She looked over her shoulder, then turned around on the piano bench to face Fablehaven's caretaker. "Hey Stan. What's this about me pulling naiads out of the pond?"

"Well I figured," the older man said, pulling the chair behind Raz from under the table and taking a seat, "that since you've already got the fairies dancing as if the Fairy Queen were visiting, the naiads would probably be the next magical creatures to be entranced by your playing."

"Wha- I thought I was…" Stan shook his head.

"I could hear you from the woods, and I'm sure Lena and Dale could hear you from the house."

"Man, I guess your grandkids are going to figure out the secret now, huh?"

"My grand…how did you?"

Raz bit her lip. _Oops, that one slipped the system. _"Lena told me about them, I can't wait to meet them."

Stan gave her a skeptical look, but apparently let whatever he was thinking slide. His gaze shifted to Warren, "Did you get any ideas on how to help him while in Moscow?" Shaking her head, Raz followed his gaze and smiled sadly. Warren had been in his current condition for years, and no matter how hard she tried, there was nothing she could do to help him. It was killing her. Of all the things she could do, why couldn't helping Warren be one of them?

"Where's Ruth? I didn't see her."

His shoulders tensed and his eyes grew hard. "I better get back to my duties." he stood up with a heavy sigh, "and I believe you have a plane to catch."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I was trying to forget about that…going to Brazil isn't really my idea of a fun excursion."

Stan's eyebrows shot up. "Brazil?" Raz coughed uncomfortably.

"Secret stuff."

"Got it. Well, good luck with whatever you're going to be doing."

"Thanks."

As Stan exited the cabin Raz pushed the piano bench in and walked over to Warren. She sat next to him and clasped her hands together, staring down at her feet. "I know you probably can't understand me but…" she looked up at his pale, vacant face. What she wouldn't give to see his smile. "I'll miss you. A lot." Chuckling darkly, she shook her head. "I mean, it's different with the Knights when you're not there…" she blinked back unexpected tears. "I promise Warren, I'll find a way to help you."

Standing, she brushed off her jeans and looked at Warren with sad eyes. "I'll come back as soon as I can." She squeezed his hand, hoping to see something, anything, flash in his silvery eyes, but his face remained expressionless. Sighing sadly, she released his hand.

Pausing in the doorway she looked over her shoulder one last time. "Good bye, Warren."

* * *

"Come back soon, alright?"

"I will."

Lena wrapped her arms around Raz in a warm farewell hug. "I have something for you before you leave." The elderly woman held out a sketchpad and purple pencil case. "I hope it helps with the boredom I know you'll have to endure on the flight."

"Oh Lena, you didn't have to." Raz was hesitant to take the sketchpad, it looked expensive, and she was sure the intricately designed case wasn't empty.

"I want you to have them, practice your drawing skills. They may come in handy someday."

Laughing, she took the gifts from Lena's hands. "Thank you, I'll be sure to fill the whole thing."

"I wouldn't expect anything less." Lena gave Raz one last hug and Dale gave an awkward little wave.

"Have fun flying."

"I plan to; don't get eaten on Midsummer Eve." It was meant as a joke, but something made the words seem heavy, like a warning rather than a lighthearted jest.

Dale and Lena nodded and waved as Raz headed back to her car. Sighing heavily, she unlocked the rental car. "Well," she said out loud as she slid into the driver's seat. "Goodbye Fablehaven, hello Brazil."

* * *

**I'd like to thank Ofweaponarydefences for reviewing (: your comments make writing and editing worth it lol If anyone has any ideas or tips they'd like to share with me feel free to message or review, I don't bite....much *shifty eyes* hahaha I'm working on chapter 3 now, I just need to get out of school. Only 7 1/2 days left, I really hope I can make it.**


	4. Brazil

Raz stepped off the plane, sketchpad in one hand, carry-on bag in the other. She stretched, enjoying the open space and fresh feel of the small Brazilian airport. The flight to Brazil had been longer than the flight to Fablehaven, but the sketchpad Lena had given her had helped staunch the boredom. Shaking out her arms, she looked around. The baggage claim was nearby and a row of people holding up signs stood near it, waiting for the passengers they were picking up to arrive. She examined the signs carefully; Cecile, the caretaker of Emerald Serpent, was supposed to be waiting for her, ready to drive her to the secret preserve. Her eyes rested on a sign near the end of the row.

_Razaliardyna T._

She looked up at the person holding the sign and was greeted by sage eyes and a warm smile. Racing over to the baggage claim, she grabbed her suitcase and approached the green-eyed woman. "You must be Cecile."

"And you must be Razaliardyna!" Cecile spoke with a heavy accent, but it was easy to understand what she was saying. "It is so good to meet you!" The petite woman held out a tan hand. Her fingers were bare save a single gold band that had intricate swirls and loops carved delicately across its surface. Raz grasped Cecile's hand firmly and shook it.

"It's good to meet you too! And please, call me Raz. I hear that I'm not the first member to arrive."

"Baruexi Forte arrived only yesterday, she is very excited to meet you, since you are the only other girl on the team."

"At least it's half and half- two girls, two guys."

"I suppose." Cecile laughed quietly and nodded to the suitcase, "Do you have everything?"

"Yeah, you got my gear, right?"

"Everything arrived with Miss Forte."

Raz smiled brightly, "Awesome! Should we head out?"

Cecile returned the smile. "Of course, we have a long drive."

* * *

The Emerald Serpent was a 4 hour drive from Curtibia and in The-Middle-of-Nowhere Brazil. Raz had watched as buildings had turned into trees and the paved roads had become uneven and dusty. Cecile was an extremely quiet woman, but would answer Raz's endless questions and even asked some of her own. Overall, Raz had done most of the talking the entire drive, but she didn't mind, it was nice to have someone to talk to.

The preserve was in the middle of a rainforest, which, Cecile explained, was a small section of the Amazon. Raz had never seen any preserve like it. The trees were thick and she wondered how Cecile knew where she was going. As they pulled onto the property she noticed an array of brightly colored fairies. One had the markings of a cheetah, and stared at her curiously as she passed.

"You have a lot of fairies." She noted as Cecile pulled up to a 2 story house.

"Yes, they enjoy the climate and you will find that the Emerald Serpent has one of the largest fairy populations in the world."

"Awesome…"

"Well, we are here. Baruexi will be very excited you have arrived, she has been talking to me all day about it."

Raz couldn't help but laugh. "Sounds like someone I could get along with." She said as she pulled her suitcase from the car and entered the house.

* * *

Raz had taken an immediate liking to Baruexi. The sweet redhead had a spunky personality and natural golden streaks. Her deep purple bangs were pushed to the right side of her face, where single braid hung loosely and framed her delicate cheek. She was a joker, a girl who loved to laugh and was constantly pulling jokes and funny comments from the air. The bubbly girl and Raz were fast friends, and the two had about seven hours to talk until the third member of their team arrived.

"You're kidding…right?" The words came out before Raz could put a filter over them.

Stopping in the doorway, the new team member looked up. "Whoa! I know you!"

Raz couldn't help but gawk. _Seriously? _"Y-_you're _a-"

"Trent!" Baruexi nearly pushed Raz to the ground as Trent entered the house that served as Cecile's refuge from the magical creatures of the Emerald Serpent. "I haven't seen you since that mission in Canada. How have you been?"

"Baru!" he let go of his suitcase and gave Baruexi a friendly hug, "It's good to see you. I've been great, I'm glad we'll get to work together again."

Raz couldn't believe it. The awkward young man that she had sat next to all the way from Moscow to New York was a _Knight? _That was the last thing she had expected. And she'd learned to expect a lot of surprising things. Trent turned to her.

"You know, I kind of thought you might be a Knight." He gave a shy little smile and Raz wondered what had happened to his awkwardness. The first time she'd seen him he hadn't even been able to speak to her, and now here he was, with no hint of any awkwardness at all. Granted he was a little shy, but he seemed like a completely different person.

Raz couldn't help but gawk. There was just no way Trent could be the same guy from before. She realized that she was gaping and quickly clamped her mouth shut. Running his fingers through his honey blonde hair, Trent laughed bashfully and looked at her with understanding blue eyes.

"I bet you're wondering what happened to-" he immediately started fidgeting and glancing around, "m-my….uh….well you see…this side o-of er… me…" He stood up straight and thrust his hands in his pockets. "Aren't you?" Baruexi stifled some laughter as Raz nodded blankly. He gave a half smile. "When I'm placed in certain situations I get a little…unsure…of myself." They way he said it seemed like a question and Raz wondered if 'unsure' was the word that he really wanted to use.

"Certain…situations? Like, what kind of situations?"

His smile faltered, but only for a split second, and Raz thought it must've been her imagination. "  
Well…"

"Oh, Trent. You've arrived at just the right time." Cecile came into the room from the kitchen, where she had been most of the day. Her black hair was pulled into a low ponytail and her apron was covered in flower and something that looked like fresh coco powder. "Dinner is almost ready. Raz, be a dear and show Trent where his room is. It is the one right next to yours. Baruexi, can you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure." Baruexi sounded cheerful, but as she walked away she glanced at Trent with a wistful look in her eye. Trent was bent over his suitcase, so he didn't see it, but Raz had been watching her closely and wondered why Baruexi looked so…jealous. She didn't have time to think for long as Trent stood up and yanked her from her thoughts.

"So uh…where are we going?" Raz looked over at him, wondering why Cecile was making _her _take him to his room. Baruexi had two legs and a heartbeat, why couldn't she do it? And besides, Baruexi _obviously _knew him more, she would be more comfortable escorting him through the halls of Cecile's home. Raz shook her head, this wasn't the time for complaining; Cecile was a sweet woman and probably didn't know that Baruexi liked Trent so much. It made sense that she would ask Raz to show him his room because it was next to hers. _Wait…he's going to be sleeping in the room next to mine? That's…fantastic. _Raz thought sarcastically. _Well, might as well get this over with._

"Upstairs, come on." She didn't even bother to see if he was following as she trudged up the stairs and glanced down the hall. On the left lay the library, easily the biggest room in the house. It took up the entire left side of the upstairs and had not only books and comfortable chairs, but also an array of musical instruments, seven statues and a few painting easels. Hanging a right, she passed Baruexi's room, the bathroom, and an empty bedroom. As she reached the left turn that led to her room she paused and looked over her shoulder. Trent was gazing around the hall, taking in every detail and gazing at each picture that had been carefully hung on the walls. "You like art?"

He paused and looked at Raz, then smiled sheepishly. "My mother's an artist, so it runs in my family."

"Oh, cool. Come on, your room is just down this hall." She walked down the hall briskly and, stopping by her doorway and glanced into her room. She really wished she didn't have to sleep in this area of the house. There were no windows because it was pushed away from the exterior of the house and didn't reach the back wall like Baruexi's room.

"Is this my room?"

"Uh, no. It's mine. Yours is the next one down." _Lucky, he gets a window._

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem. You probably saw the bathroom on your way up, but if you didn't it's back down the hall on the-"

"I saw it."

"Okay well, just throw your things down and come on downstairs. The kitchen is to your left when you get to the bottom. Just follow the hall until you get there, you don't have to turn or anything, just go straight and you should find it."

"You're not gonna wait for me?"

Trent gave Raz a dismayed look and she shifted uncomfortably. His eyes were a silver blue and they made her think of the silvery hue Warren's eyes had taken on after becoming an albino. She cleared her throat. "I'm sure Cecile needs more help in the kitchen. It's not that complicated a floor plan, you'll be fine. Just yell if you get lost."

"Well okay, see you at dinner then." With that, Raz spun around and raced back downstairs.

_Geez, this is going to be a _great _couple of months. _She thought despairingly as she reached the kitchen and helped Baruexi set the table.

* * *

**YAAAAAY ending fail 8D I couldn't think of a way to wrap it up, so I apologize =_=;; BUT ANYWHO! Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit rushed, I didn't have a lot of inspiration for it and I just needed to get it done =\ Please tell me what you think, tips are greatly appreciated =D oooh and Baruexi is pronouces bah-roo-SHE. Yeah, I know, I come up with some ridiculous names |D**


	5. Arlin

Sleep did not come easily, and when it did it was short and fitful. Hours of pointless tossing and turning had passed by, and after giving up on sleep, Raz found herself more exhausted than ever. What was wrong with her? She'd never had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places before! What made the Emerald Serpent so different?

Sitting up, she glanced around her room. The only light came from a small, flickering candle that sat on her nightstand. Now more than ever, she wished for a window. Darkness had never had any place on her list of tolerances, and the lack of a window made her antsy. She didn't fear the dark, she just hated it. If there was anything she feared about darkness, it was the monsters that lurked in it. The most cowardly and spiteful creatures hid behind darkness, using it as shield against the weary and weak hearted. Even the brave could be brought down by darkness, she knew from experience.

She stood shakily, using the nightstand for support. The room had begun to feel hot and claustrophobic, and she desperately needed some fresh air. Despite how suffocating the room was, she grabbed her robe from the back of a chair, knowing the air would be cooler in the library. Throwing the robe on carelessly, she opened the door and peered outside.

The house was quiet and Raz found herself tiptoeing down the hallway, as not to wake anybody. She passed the empty room and wondered when the final member of their team would arrive. Soon, hopefully. She wanted to get started on the mission as soon as possible.

The door to the library stood open, wide and inviting. Of all the rooms in the house, this was her favorite. Two of the four walls were nothing but glass, which gave the room a light and open feeling. Miscellaneous books and papers lay about, adorning tables or lining desks or sitting in misshapen piles on the floor. A half finished painting rested in its easel, begging to be finished. Musical instruments of every kind sat waiting, just asking to be played.

Raz looked about the room, hoping to find a piano, then remembered that everyone else was asleep and decided against playing. Her fingers itched to play, but she didn't want to wake anyone. She could wait until morning. In the far corner of the room sat a staircase, which she knew lead to the armory. Cecile had told her that at the top of the stairs stood what seemed to be a dead end, but the false wall opened into one of the most protected areas of the house. She hadn't been in it yet and she was curious as to what treasures it held, but she knew that it would have to wait until the entire team had arrived.

She wandered around aimlessly, running her fingers along the spines of old books, admiring paintings and reading statue plaques. Few book titles interested her. _The Complete History of Nipsies. The Dos and Don'ts of Jins. Dragon Tamers and Werewolf Slayers. _She sighed. What she wouldn't give to play piano.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

Stopping short, she spun around, her heart racing. "Oh, geez. Your startled me!"

Trent emerged from the shadows, his golden hair a mess atop his head, his bright blue eyes dulled by exhaustion. "Sorry, guess I should have made some more noise, let you know I was here. I can be weirdly quiet sometimes. Like a cat or a blix or something."

"It's okay, I'm a little on edge it all."

He raised an eyebrow. "A little?"

Raz resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Okay, I'm a lot on edge." Trent laughed.

"Trust me, we all are. It's not every day you get sent to a secret preserve to go find some hidden ancient artifact and most likely die in the process."

"You're sense of humor is comforting."

Laughing again, he shrugged innocently. "I've been known to lighten the mood with awful humor." This got a smile out of her.

"I can tell." There was a moment of friendly silence, as the both looked out the window, each lost in their own thoughts. Raz glanced at him as curiosity began gnawing at her. "So you and Baruexi seem to know each other pretty well." He nodded but didn't reply. "When did you two meet?"

"Oh, about three years ago. We've been on a few missions together." He grinned jokingly. "I swear, I can't get rid of her." The tone in his voice hinted that he was just teasing, but Raz felt the need to defend her newfound friend.

"She seems like a sweet girl."

"Oh she is!" An unexpected liveliness lit up his eyes. "Baru is amazing! A real whiz with the sword too, man in combat she's…" He looked at her and suddenly seemed embarrassed. "She's incredible."

Raz wore a knowing smile. "You two seem very fond of each other."

"We…we're good friends is all." Was it just her imagination, or were Trent's cheeks turning red? She couldn't really tell in the faint moonlight.

"I don't doubt that." She waved her hand dismissively and tried to hide her smirk. If there was one thing she was good at, discerning emotions was one of them, and Trent's emotions were pretty clear. Too bad he and Baru would probably never tell each other how they felt.

Movement outside caught her eye and she turned to the window to see what it was. Cecile's small car was pulling into the driveway, and Raz suddenly got excited. "Hey! The new team member's here!" Without waiting to see if Trent was following, she raced out of the library and headed downstairs. Once she reached the bottom, she stopped abruptly and Trent nearly crashed into her.

"Well, you're just full of energy aren't you?"

She grinned over her shoulder at him as the front door opened. Cecile came in, followed by a tall figure laden with suitcases. He was apparently finishing up an extremely entertaining story, because Cecile was smiling, almost laughing, which was a rarity. Cecile was sweet, but not easily entertained. Laughter from her was odd. "I swear, Chuck is as crazy as they come!" The newcomer said, laughing heartily.

"Well, well, well." Raz said, recognizing the voice. "If it isn't Arlin Santos!" She stepped into the living room, hands on her hips. "I'm surprised you aren't dead yet. Have fun in the Himalayas?"

"Raz!" Spreading his arms wide, he gave Raz a bone crushing hug and lifted her off the floor. Arlin was a monster of a man, standing at about six foot four, he was heavily muscled and broad shouldered with hands the size of snow shovels. "You," He said, setting her down and poking her nose. "Have not changed a bit!"

"Neither have you! Unless you've gotten taller. Which would be slightly disconcerting."

"No, you've just gotten shorter."

"Hey!" She said indignantly, even though she could tell he was joking. Raz wasn't short, and they both knew it.

"Old friends?" Trent came up from behind, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"More or less." Was Raz's reply.

"I've known Raz since she was a greenie! Took her on her first mission!" Arlin ruffled her hair fondly.

"Well it's good to know that some members of the team are well acquainted with each other. Baru and I know each other well, and apparently, so do you two."

"I wonder how often that happens." Raz mused, trying to fix her hair, knowing it was hopeless.

"Not very, but this mission is important, so a close team was probably essential." Arlin said.

"Makes sense."

"On a different note…it's bloody late, what are you two still doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Well _that's _not surprising. What did they call you on that first mission? Nocturnal Teru?"

"Something like that."

"I am glad that you all are getting along." Cecile spoke up for the first time and all eyes turned to her. "But I think it is time we were all heading off to bed, yes?"

Raz stifled a laugh and the boys grinned in amusement. "Of course, Cecile. Good night. See you in the morning." She nodded and shuffled away. Once she was out of the room, Raz let out a small giggle.

"There's more fire in that women that I thought." Arlin said.

"Oh yes, she's very motherly."

"You could say that again."

The three of them laughed shortly and made their way up the stairs.

"Well, Arlin, your bedroom should be easy to find, it's the only empty one."

"That's convenient. Mind helping me with my bag er…?"

"It's Trent."

"Pleasure to meet you, Trent. I'm Arlin." Arlin grasped one of Trent's hands in his own and shook it enthusiastically, a wide grin plastered on his face. Trent returned the smile.

"The pleasure's all mine. I'll grab some of your bags." Trent picked up some of Arlin's suitcases and hauled them off into the direction of his room.

"What did you bring? A dead yak?" Raz asked, noting the bulging luggage.

"You could say that."

She gave him a skeptical look, but didn't press. "Well, see you in the morning."

"Good night, Nocturnal Teru."

She punched him in the arm playfully. "I swear, if you start calling me that again you'll be picking knives out of your back for a month."

"Charming as ever."

With a smirk, Raz continued down the hallway and stopped in front of her door. Peering into the dim room, she noticed that the small candle was still burning and scolded herself for forgetting to snuff it out. The last thing she needed was the house burning down.

"Night Raz." She turned to Trent, and gave a small smile.

"Night Trent." He waved a little awkwardly and shuffled into his room, closing the door behind him. For the first time, she wondered what had kept Trent up. She could ask him, but she didn't want to bother him, so she left it.

Sighing, she walked into her own room and shut the door as quietly as she could. She sat on her bed and stared at the small, flickering flame of the candle.

Tomorrow, the real mission would begin and everyone on her team would be putting themselves in danger. She finally allowed herself to ask the one question that had been nagging her since she'd received orders to Brazil: Why were they digging up the artifact? It was hidden for a reason, right? How would going and digging it up now be of any help? She fiddled with the lock around her neck, and suddenly remembered why she had agreed to this mission in the first place. Agreeing to this mission had all but guaranteed her going where she'd never been before. She traced the familiar contours of the lock.

_In a place man's eyes have never seen, your searching hands will find the key._

Biting her lip, she stared at her reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall. _In a place man's eyes have never seen…_

She remembered the first time she had heard those words, how confused she had been. She was no closer to fully understanding them now than she had been all those years ago, it was frustrating. For years she'd searched, but what she was looking for was impossible to find.

"No, not impossible…" She said, clutching the lock resolutely. "Just improbable."

* * *

**Is that an update I see? Why yes, yes it is :D *dodges knife* OI no knife throwing! I know it's been a while TT_TT Highschool it eating my soul and I have about as much free time as...someone who doesn't have free time ._. BUT ALAS- I live :3**

**For those of you who have read the 4th book, yes, I do know who Arlin Santos is. I put him in there for a reason. I almost made him uptight and have a stick up his butt, but the idea of having a friendly giant on the team was much more fun to play with and plan.**

****NOTE******  
Okay, so over Thanksgiving break, I read the fourth Fablehaven book again and realized that the name of the preserve in Brazil is Rio Branco (or something like that) Now USUALLY I'm a stickler about staying as close to the book as possible, but I've already planned out this fanfiction so much that changing the name of the preserve and location of the vault would just ruin it. SO if you're going to nag at me for not having it exactly close to the book, you can go punch yourself repeatedly. Because honestly, if I had remebered this bit of information while planning out my story, trust me, I would have used it.  
Please don't be a rage monster!**


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